Card filing apparatus



Feb. 13, 1951 w E, ADAMS 2,541,185

CARD FILING APPARATUS' Filed Nov. 5, 1946 FIG. 1 a 3 INVENTOR NtLUAM E ADAMS AHORNEYD Patented Feb. 13, 1951 UNITED; STATES? OFF! E.

CARD FILING APPARATUS WilliamwE; Adams, HamiItomsOhio; assignonto",

HerringJIalbMarvin Safe Company, Hamilton; Ohio; a corporation of New-York I ApplicationxNovember 5, 1946,-Serial No. 707;189

4 Claims;

This invention relatesin general torotary fllin'g apparatus More particularly; the invention has reference to filing: apparatus 111T which a' file card: receiving ehannelisprovided on the periphery of a rotary --drum1= divided. intoa circumferential series of segments and is a continuation-in-part of'my' copending application Ser: No. 631873 filed December 29; 1945;

Filing apparatus of thetype to which the pres ent invention relates generally comprises a supporting structure in which a cylindrical drum is rotatably mounted. File cards aremore or less radially supported at th'e surface ofthe-drmn;

Various 1 means have been proposed for holding the cardssufiioientlvloosely-on the drum to permit riifii'ng or spreadirigpf the eardswfo'r inspection. and yetprevent those on the lower side of the drum falling-out: The holding-mean-s must also be such as topermit removal'or-insertionor one ora'group-of cards for posting-or transferring to or from other looations;-

The means heretofore proposed for holding the cards on the drum; which will secure the above results, has been a peripheral rail or rails secured to the drum and engaging perforations or key-* hole slotsi'n the-lower edge-of the cards This, howeverg'is subject toseveral disadvantages.- In" the firstplace, the rail-,"evenin a simpleform; is expensive to manufacture; Likewise, a punched or slotted card" requires an expensive paper stock and must be accurately cut. Moreover, the punched portion of-the card destroys useful surface. Thentoo,where-continuous rails are used with key holeslotted cards, only one or two may beremoved from-the rail a't-a time-because of'the flexing necessary" to disengage the slot from the rail.

It hasbeen found that in=rotary*filing=apparatus employing drums of relatively small diameter or those inwhich "the ratio of the depth of the file card receiving channel to the radius of: the drum is about I to 2, such asdisclosed inthe abovenamed" application, there is sufficient differencebetween the inner and souter arcs of the segments or: compartments 0f the" card, receiving channel to" providezsuifioient-fanningmf the cards to give reading :"spacebetween adjacent cards 1 even though the segments or compartments" are: filled to capacity; On the otherhandydifiicultyis en counteredrzini constructions employing drums v of larges'diameteriorparticularly.where the ratioof thewdepthiiOfmthe file card-receiving- =channe1 to the radius: oftth'errdrumiis ahoutzsl. 1103 or less. s- In other Worden-in;:constructions.in whielnthe dif-i ference: betweentthe 1im'rer andiv outer-rams xof th'e segments or compartmentsiofi theicarderecervingr channel as small oninsuificient to provideta proper" fan orsreading spaceiorv th'escards, the comparts ments'oannot be filled to capacity;

The prin'cipal obj eot ofz-the: present invention is to. provide an: improved rotary file. apparatus: inwhiclrdrums of relatively large diameter orcim which; theratioofpthedepth of the card-receiring channel to the radius :of thedrum is about ,1 3

i or lesscandin which the. segmentsof. said .channel maywbetfilled to capacity'with file cards and yet provide ample. space for riflling or "farming the outer edges of the cards.

Another object :of thisinvention 'is Ito provide a drumreonstruction for a rotary filing apparatus: in which the drum-is zprovidedt with a peripheral card receiving channel eircumferentiallysdiyided intoea plurality "of compartments by pivotally mounted partitions.

A further: object of this. invention is to cprovide a drumconstruction. fon :rotary. filing apparatus in: which movable partition means are provided in a peripheralacard-ireceiving.channel to. divide said channel into a lurality of compartments.

Still another object of this invention is to provide a drum'constructi'on ior: a rotary. filing apparatusinwhich the drum is provided: with a neripheral :card-receiving :channel and in which movable partitionin means are provided toform compartmentsmtheinnervarc of whichis of substantiallyi'constantilengthand the other are of which is of variable length.

Yet another object of the invention is to provide a rotary card filing apparatus of the above character, in which relativelyfixed, arcuate card retaining strips are providedoverlying opposite sides of the card-receiving channelfor engaging opposite corners ofthe cards thereinto restrain outward displacement of" the cards therefrom, the stripsrbeing -concentric with the channel on the lower sector and diverging slightly outwardlyfrom the channelon the upper sector.

With the above and other'important objects and advantages in. view, which will become more apparent during the courseofthe. following description, the invention consists in. the. parts and combinationshereinafter set forthwith the understanding. thatvarious changes may be made therein such as in the sizalshape and arrangementrofthe parts, without departing from-the spirit 'ofthe invention;

Inorder': to make the invention more clearly understoodmia preferred; embodiment thereof is shown: in thexaccompanying drawings.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a top plan view of the rotary card file.

Figure 2 is a vertical transverse sectional view taken on the line 2-2 of Figure 1 looking in the direction of the arrows.

Figure 3 is a side elevational view.

'Figure 4 is an enlarged fragmental sectional view of the upper portion of the file indicating a stack of file cards in one of the pockets.

Figure 5 is a cross sectional view taken on the line 55 of Figure 4.

Generally the invention comprises a drum having opposed end flanges which project beyond a central cylindrical hub of relatively large diameter and form, with the hub, a peripheral channel for the reception of file cards arranged more or less radially therein. The file cards are segregated into groups in the receiving channel by means of opposed pairs of separators or relatively narrow partitions which are pivotally attached respectively to the inner faces of the opposed end flanges of the drumadjacent the hub. The outer end of each partition is free to move through a limited are. These partitions divide the channel into a number of more or less radial pockets, the inner circumferential lengths of which are constant but .the outer lengths of which may be lengthened to a limited amount at a desired inspection point on the drum to permit adequate fanning of the cards for inspection of individual cards of a group substantially filling the pocket at the bottom thereof.

' The cards on the lower sector of the drum are prevented from falling out of the channel by engagement; at opposite corners of the cards, with a pair of relatively fixed retaining strips which overlap laterally the drum flanges and surround the same except for a space approximately the length of a pocket at the top of the drum. The separating partitions not only serve to segregate the cards into groups, but also to restrict rotation of the whole group of cards with respect to the 7 central, cylindrical hub 2 having opposed radial end flanges 3 secured thereto. The flanges 3 form with the hub 2 a peripheral channel 4 of rectangular cross section for the reception of con- Ventional file cards.

The drum I is adapted for rotation about a horizontal axis ina mobile support structure, designated generally as 5, and which comprises a pair of substantially circular vertical end plates 6 held in spaced parallel relationship to each other by a rectangular frame I. Preferably, the drum is provided with a central transverse shaft 8 which extends through the end flanges 3 and the plates 6 and is .rotatably journall'ed in suitable bearings, not shown, but mounted on the frame I. The frame i is provided with casterwheels 9 by means of which the file may be easily moved from one location to another.

' The drum 1 is of relatively large diameter to accommodate a substantially great number of file cards, the diameter of the central hub 2 preferably being about three times the depth of the channel 4. As will be noted in Figure e, the depth of the channel l is substantially equal to the height of the file card.

The file cards are positioned more or less radithe pocket but fit loosely enough to permit free sliding movement in the pocket.

' The above circumferential division of the channel d is conveniently accomplished by means of a series of opposed pairs of separators or partitions, designated generally as i l, and attached respectively to opposite inner faces of the drum flanges ii for engaging the opposite ends of the file cards. lhe partitions should be narrow enough laterally to permit easy handling of the cards. The number of pockets into which the channel d is divided is preferably such, so that the peripheral length of the bottom of each pocket is substantially equal to or slightly less than the depth of the pocket to prevent cards in the pocket from tumbling over if the pocket is only partially filled. V I

. In relatively small card files of this type, such as disclosed in the above application, Serial No. 637,873, where the peripheral channel'is divided into relatively few pockets, the difference between the lengths of the Docket at the bottom thereof and the length at the periphery of the drum will be found to be sufficiently' great to permit riflling or farming for inspecting the faces of a group of cards substantially fillin the bottom of the pocket. In. such cases, the separating partitions may be rigidly secured to the side walls of the card-receivin channel. 7 For ease in handling the individual cards'or. groups thereof, it is desirable to keep the length of pockets at the bottom thereof, substantially equal to the height of a file card as set forth above. therefore, that as the size of the drum increases, if the lengthsof the pockets at the bottoms are keptsubstantially equal to the height of the file card, the number of pockets in the peripheral series will have to be increased. With increase in the number of pockets, the included angle between the fixed partitions will become less, or

in other words, adjacent partitions will become.

more parallel, decreasing the length of the pocket at the periphery of the drum and thereby restricting the amount of fanning of the cards. To overcome this difliculty, the separating partitions H are pivotally adjusted at their inner ends to the side flanges 3 which will allow the outer ends of the partitions to'be moved away from each other and thereby permit increasing the outer length of a selected pocket while still maintaining a fixed length at the'bottom of the pocket.

Preferably the partitions l I are bent from sheet metal strip in the form of a relatively narrow isosceles triangle to form side walls l2 and a base wall as. Secured to the rear edges of these walls is a triangular back wall I 4. As seen in Figure 5, the rear portion of the partition member is cut away at the apex to form a recess l5, while socured to the apex of the partition is a short tube It which extends from the front edge of the side walls [2 to the edge of "the recess 15. Each of the partitions 'l I are exactly alike and'are at- It will be understood tached tothe -flangew3 by means, such asra headed" screw 1 1, "which passes rearwardly. through "the tube 116 anduis threaded intoi-a short boss 18-, aifixed into r an. aperture in the flange, spacedslightly: outwardlyfrom the hub 2 so that the apex ofrthe partition lies closely adjacent the wall 14 and extending through an arcuate slot ZDinthe flange 3 concentricwith the screw ll. Preferably the slotis of a length tolimit the movement of the partition to about five' orten I degrees on each-side of a radial line-passing through the pivotal axes of the drum and partition.

The side plates-t in their-lower sectors, are concentric with the drum l and are-of -slightlyto overlap the flanges 3 and engage opposite corners of the file cards andprevent those from falling out of thepockets on the lower section of the drum.-

By virtue of the shape of theend plates 6, the retaining strips 22 follow the peripheral contour of the drum concentrically about its lower half. From the horizontal center of the drum, however, as seen in Figure 2, opposite ends of the strips 22 diverge slightly away from the periphery of the drum to the space between the ends of the strips at the top of the file. In addition to retaining the cards in the pockets on the lower sector of the drum, the retaining strips also serve, by engagement of the cards therewith, as friction brake bands for the drum to restrain undesirably free rotation, overriding and rocking to a stop when the drum is rotated.

By referring to Figure 2, it may be easily visualized that cards in the pockets ID on the descending side of the rotating drum, as soon as the trailing face of the leading partitions ll inclines below the horizontal, will gradually move outwardly into contact with the strips 22 until, at the bottom of the drum, the entire weight of the cards in the lower pockets will bear against these strips. As the drum continues to rotate and the cards pass the horizontal center of the drum on the ascending side, they successively move out of contact with the retaining strips 22. Therefore, in addition to preventing the cards dropping out and serving to frictionally brake the drum, the strips serve also on the descending side of the drum, in the upper sector where the strips converge toward the drum, to force any raised cards into alignment with the stack and against the hub 2, and on the lower sector of the ascending side of the drum maintain the cards evenly stacked until they pass above the horizontal. It will be noted also in Figure 5, that the triangular shape of the partitions II and the limited degree of their angular movement, assures that the upper faces of the partitions in the upper half of the drum will be inclined upwardly from the horizontal center line of the drum until the upper faces substantially reach the concentric portion of the-strips 22. This-is advantageous, particularlyonthe descendingside oi the rotating drum ininhibitingtumbling of the cards in their pocketsand inhibiting the cards from sliding outwardlyinto engagement with the converging arc of the strips 22.

The operation of the card file, it is believed, will be apparent from the foregoing. It might be pointed out, however, that the operator rotates the drum either by the upper edges of the cardsor'the partitions until a desired group or pocket of cards registers with the space between the ends of the strips 22 at the topof the-file. The brakingefiect between the cards in the lower partof the drum and the retaining strips 22 will hold the drum in this position permitting the operator the use of bothhands in finding a particular card or cards desired in the group. The spreading or lengthening of the mouth of the pocket, provided by the movable partitions, permits adequate space between the outer ends of the partitions to fan or spread apart the upper edges of the cards to find the desired one, while the fixed distance between the bottom ends of the partitions main-- tains the loweredges of the cards evenly aligned and prevents tumblingof the stack.

From the foregc-ingit will also be seen that file constructedin accordance with-this invention makes it possible for the operator to take a single card from the file or to remove anentire transfer of ordinary file cards from a filedrawer or cabinet, for instance, to the rotary file With-- out any modification to the card, such as punching, slotting or notching, which would be necessary in using ordinary file cards with the rotary card files heretofore proposed and in use which employ card retaining rails or similar devices on which the cards are threaded. This is an important advantage in that cards out from a much cheaper paper stock may be used and much faster filing operations may be performed because the cards are simply lifted out and inserted at the upper access portion of the file.

I claim: 7

1. In a card filing apparatus of the character described, a cylindrical drum rotatable about a horizontal axis and having a substantially rectangular peripheral channel therein for the reception of file cards, relatively fixed strip means having a mid-portion concentric with at least the lower half of said drum and having diverging ends, said strip means overlying respectively opposite sides of the channel for engaging opposite corners of cards therein to restrain outward movement of the cards from the channel, and wedge shaped partition means pivoted adjacent the inner portion of said channel for dividing said channel into a circumferential series of segments, and means for limiting pivotal movement of the partition means so that the angular faces thereof at the limits of said pivotal movement lie substantially radial of the drum.

2. In a rotary filing apparatus a cylindrical drum having end plates projecting beyond the outer periphery of said drum cooperating therewith to form a peripheral channel for the reception of file cards, means supporting said drum for rotation about a horizontal axis, a circumferential series of spaced wedge shaped partition means in said channel, pivot means carried by said end plates adjacent the outer periphery of said drum for mounting said partition means for pivotal movement, said end plates having arcuate slots between the outer periphery thereof and the pivot means, and means carried by said partition means andcooperating withsaidslot for limiting pivotal movement of said partition means, said slots extending on opposite sides of a radial line passing through the rotational axis of the drum and the pivotal axis of a partition to limit the'pivotal' movement of the partition 50 that the angular faces of the partitions at the limits of pivotal movement thereof will substantially coincide with said radial line, and means overlying the channel at the lower half of the drum to restrain outward movement of the cards. 3. In a card filing apparatus of the character described, a cylindrical drum rotatable about a horizontal axis and having a substantially rectangular peripheral channel therein for the reception of file cards, a circumferential series of equispaced wedge shaped partitions pivoted at theirinner ends adjacent the bottom of the channel and dividing the channel into a circumferential series of segments, the depth of said channel being substantially equal to the height of a card received therein and the diameter of the drum at the bottom of the channel being at least three timesthe depth of the channel and the circumdrum having end plates projecting beyond the outer periphery of said drum and cooperating therewith to form a peripheral channel for the reception of file cards, means supporting said drum for rotation about a horizontal axis, a circumferential series of spaced wedge shaped partition means in said channel, pivot means carried by said end plates adjacent the outer periphery of said drum for mounting said partition means for pivotal movement, means for limiting the pivotal movement of each of said'partition means on opposite sides of a radial line containing the rotational axis'of the drum and the pivotal axis of the partition means so that the angular faces of thepartition means at the limits of said pivotal movement will substantially coincide with said radial plane, and means overlying the channel at least at the lower half of thedrum to restrain outward movement of the cards from the channel. 1

, WILLIAM E. ADAMS.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent: V

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